5 ms·

Google Earth, Formerly Keyhole EarthViewer, funded in large part by the CIA. https://www.businessinsider.com/the-cias-earthviewer-was-the-original-google-earth

Google Earth, Formerly Keyhole EarthViewer, funded in large part by the CIA. https://www.businessinsider.com/the-cias-earthviewer-was-the-original-google-earth-2015-11 https://www.businessinsider.com/the-cias-earthviewer-was-the...

sandworm101 3y ago
Keyhole being a very old reference to the shape drawn on the earth by geostationary sat orbits.
- adolph 3y ago
  The KH series of satellites were in low earth orbit, not geostationary. Where did you get the idea the keyhole name came from a shape? An NRO history has all early satellite reconnaissance as being under the “TALENT-KEYHOLE” designation: https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2017-00006a.pdf https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2...
  - sandworm101 3y ago
    https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/geosynchronous-orbit-ground-track https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/geosynchronous-o... Many geosync orbits trace an asymmetrical 8 on the ground that looks like a keyhole. That's where the name comes from, from programs older than the TK sats.
    - adolph 3y ago
      > from programs older than the TK sats. What was that older than Corona?
    - ianburrell 3y ago
      Keyhole reconnaissance satellites predate geostationary satellites. Geostationary reconnaissance satellites are rare, and not like Keyhole ones.
    - serf 3y ago
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CORONA_(satellite) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CORONA_(satellite) "The CORONA satellites were designated KH-1, KH-2, KH-3, KH-4, KH-4A and KH-4B. KH stood for "Key Hole" or "Keyhole" (Code number 1010),[7] with the name being an analogy to the act of spying into a person's room by peering through their door's keyhole"
      - adolph 3y ago
        I saw that too but noticed that the claim didn't have a reference. That is what brought me to the NRO PDF, which ties the designation KH of the satellites to the Talent Keyhole security designation on page 15 [0]. One of the confusing parts is that the early Corona didn't have a KH designation initially because the Keyhole compartment wasn't created until 1960 [1]. Maybe the Keyhole compartment's name came from the analogy? 0. https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2017-00006a.pdf https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2... 1. In 1960, it was broadened to cover all national aerial reconnaissance (to later include SR-71 sourced imagery) and the KEYHOLE compartment was created for satellite intelligence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_compartmented_information#:~:text=KEYHOLE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_compartmented_inform... compartment%20was%20created
maxglute 3y ago
Wonder if subsea map will ever be released like Google Maps. It's something I always wanted to see. I suppose it's more of national security threat since it allows adversaries to plot up subsurface routes, and can't exactly blur out features without giving away importance like on Google maps. Unless they're deliberately tampered to cause confusion... maybe that's enough motivation to release. Get foreign subs to bonk on undersea cliffs.

sandworm101 3y ago

Keyhole being a very old reference to the shape drawn on the earth by geostationary sat orbits.

adolph 3y ago
The KH series of satellites were in low earth orbit, not geostationary. Where did you get the idea the keyhole name came from a shape? An NRO history has all early satellite reconnaissance as being under the “TALENT-KEYHOLE” designation: https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2017-00006a.pdf https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2...
- sandworm101 3y ago
  https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/geosynchronous-orbit-ground-track https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/geosynchronous-o... Many geosync orbits trace an asymmetrical 8 on the ground that looks like a keyhole. That's where the name comes from, from programs older than the TK sats.
  - adolph 3y ago
    > from programs older than the TK sats. What was that older than Corona?
  - ianburrell 3y ago
    Keyhole reconnaissance satellites predate geostationary satellites. Geostationary reconnaissance satellites are rare, and not like Keyhole ones.
  - serf 3y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CORONA_(satellite) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CORONA_(satellite) "The CORONA satellites were designated KH-1, KH-2, KH-3, KH-4, KH-4A and KH-4B. KH stood for "Key Hole" or "Keyhole" (Code number 1010),[7] with the name being an analogy to the act of spying into a person's room by peering through their door's keyhole"
    - adolph 3y ago
      I saw that too but noticed that the claim didn't have a reference. That is what brought me to the NRO PDF, which ties the designation KH of the satellites to the Talent Keyhole security designation on page 15 [0]. One of the confusing parts is that the early Corona didn't have a KH designation initially because the Keyhole compartment wasn't created until 1960 [1]. Maybe the Keyhole compartment's name came from the analogy? 0. https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2017-00006a.pdf https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2... 1. In 1960, it was broadened to cover all national aerial reconnaissance (to later include SR-71 sourced imagery) and the KEYHOLE compartment was created for satellite intelligence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_compartmented_information#:~:text=KEYHOLE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_compartmented_inform... compartment%20was%20created

maxglute 3y ago

Wonder if subsea map will ever be released like Google Maps. It's something I always wanted to see. I suppose it's more of national security threat since it allows adversaries to plot up subsurface routes, and can't exactly blur out features without giving away importance like on Google maps. Unless they're deliberately tampered to cause confusion... maybe that's enough motivation to release. Get foreign subs to bonk on undersea cliffs.